How to Wear a Denim Jacket for Every Occasion

The denim jacket may have roots in workwear, but nowadays it's become a different beast entirely. It's not just a classic, it's remarkably versatile—if you know how to style it the right way. That's where we come in. We've pulled together three different ways to wear one jean jacket, whether you're breaking it out on the weekend or in the office (yes, the office.) Here's how to dress it up, dress it down, and split the difference.

The Jacket

For maximum versatility, stick to a denim jacket that's not too dark or too light. A black or raw indigo denim jacket will be hard to dress down. An overly faded jacket, while scoring high on the current street-style index, will be too casual to dress up for the office. Something right in the middle—worn in with just a bit of fading—is your best bet.

IMAGE endclothing.com

The Office

Man need not wear a sport coat every single day. To dress up a denim jacket, though, you'll want to treat it a lot like you treat that single-breasted two-button: Pair it with slim trousers, a crisp white shirt, and a stylish pair of derbies. Finish the whole thing off with a tie—you're trying to elevate the look, after all.

IMAGE uniqlo.com, matchesfashion.com, mrporter.com

Date Night

To relax things just a bit for a night out, ditch the dressy accoutrements for a more minimal, sportswear-inspired look. You'll still want to keep things clean—note the minimal sneakers—but feel free to go with a short-sleeve shirt and a pair of chinos.

In the 15 years since The Wire, Elba has starred in blockbusters and art house films, won a Golden Globe, released two albums, founded a production house, received an OBE, launched a clothing label and made his directing debut. He's only just getting started.